The Space Shuttle Endeavour treated Disneyland guests to a special treat Friday, as the Resort was included on the list of California landmarks it flew over during its final flight. Endeavour’s historical final flight over California marked the end of an era for the United State’s space program and theme park guests packed the parks for a chance to catch a glimpse of the shuttle as it flew overhead. Meanwhile, construction continued on Disneyland’s new Fantasy Faire meet-and-greet village and refurbishments continued throughout the park as Halloween Time continued.

Special thanks to reader Shaina Eng for helping out with photos of the Endeavour fly-over.

Get a closer look at today’s update! Click on any photo in today’s column for a large, high-resolution version of the image.

Welcome to Disneyland!

Our friends at Touring Plans have their weekly crowd forecast and touring tips:

Halloween time at Disneyland will bring in higher crowds over the weekend, but they’re still very manageable this week. TouringPlans.com can help you navigate the parks with our per-park Crowd Calendar, Lines – Mobile Wait Times Appthat gives access to current and estimated wait times for attractions, and Touring Plansdetailing the best plan of attack for hitting the attractions. With Halloween and holiday crowds on the horizon, it’s a good time to subscribe to TouringPlans.com to plan your strategy to avoid the crowds!

Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit ourCrowd Calendar.

— Fred Hazelton, Statistician, TouringPlans.com

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[center]Overall
Crowd Prediction[/center]

[center]TouringPlans.com
Crowd Tips[/center]

Tues., Sept. 25

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Here are some quick-hit notes that we hope you’ll find helpful as you prepare your visits for the week:

There’s a Mickey’s Halloween Party on Friday.

Partial blockouts on Saturday and Sunday.

Disneyland (park) is a 1.1 on Thursday.

Due to its incredibly low capacity, consider riding Luigi’s Flying Tires standby right after starting your day by grabbing a FASTPASS for Radiator Springs Racers.

Wed., Sept. 26

2/10

Thu., Sept. 27

2/10

Fri., Sept. 28

4/10

Crowd levels are based on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the least crowded conditions and 10 being most crowded.See Disneyland crowds for the next 365 days.
Get Disneyland wait times on your iPhone, Android, or Smartphone.

Do more. Wait less.Dateline Disneyland is sponsored by TouringPlans.com.

The Penny Arcade has some nice, festive Halloween decorations

The base of the Partners statue in the Central Plaza recently got refinished.

It’s a bit darker now with texture.

The temporary bases for the Halloween Time jack-o-lanterns are a close representation of what the Partners base used to look like.

Soarin’ Over California Adventure

Friday marked the end of an era for the United State space program as Space Shuttle Endeavour completed the final leg of its journey to retirement with fly-overs over several California landmarks including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Griffith Observatory and Disneyland. Signs at the park entrance notified guests of the special occasion.

The Los Angeles Times reported on the shuttle’s fly-over Disneyland, noting guests went to the parks specifically for the fly-over photo-op.

Disney released a video clip of the fly-over:

Our friends at MouseInfo had an alternate view in their video below:

Construction Kingdom

At the end of Main Street, more walls have gone up at the upcoming Fantasy Faire princess meet-and-greet area. The new walls completely close off access to Sleeping Beauty Castle’s western walkway that wraps around the edge of the Fantasy Faire area.

You can see green construction tarps blocking the view through the trees from the Castle bridge.

Refurb Round-up

On the other side of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Snow White Wishing Well and Grotto area has emerged from its brief refurbishment.

Inside Fantasyland, the Boutique facade is still getting work done…

The Storybook Land and Casey Jr. refurbishments continue…

A look into the area shows the Casey Jr. bridges have been stripped down to their infrastructure

Rumor is that the bridges will get safety enhancements, which may include widening and safety railing.

Hopefully the additions aren’t too invasive, but we’ll see when the attraction reopens in November.

In Mickey’s Toon Town, Benny the Cab is missing from the facade of Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

Minnie’s House is closed for refurbishment.

And the Toon Town mountains behind Mickey’s House are getting some TLC.

In Tomorrowland, the Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port facade refurbishment continues, but the restaurant has reopened for business.

Don’t worry, it still looks very late-90s inside.

A few steps away from Pizza Port, Disney announced that characters from the upcoming animated film “Wreck-It Ralph” will make appearances in Tomorrowland’s Starcade this November.

Concept art for the meet-and-greet.

Turning the arcade space into a character meet-and-greet will be a welcome change as the arcade has been overrun by overflow Star Trader retail displays since the Star Trader was closed for refurbishment two summers ago. Arcade games remain, but only in a small corner

Or, if we’re really lucky, Disney will get the last speed ramps in Tomorrowland running again and host the meet-and-greet in the long-abandoned upper level of the Starcade. Currently, the speed ramps are blocked by a temporary cash wrap for the overflow retail space.

Yes, it really does look this bad in this corner of Tomorrowland.

Back on Main Street, the Mad Hatter has reopened after its refurbishment

Nice and freshened up inside

The Carnation Cafe entrance continues to get work. Looks like they’re widening the doorways just a bit.

Scaring up the Season

Back in Big Thunder Ranch, the new Halloween Carnival got some extra decorative touches since its debut last week.

Signs along Big Thunder Trail direct you to the Halloween carnival

Entertainment schedule

The area appears to draw more substantial crowds than it did over the summer with the very popular villains meet-and-greet, family activities and the live pumpkin carvers.

The Villains tent got some much-needed help. It was very plain with no signage when Halloween Time kicked off last Friday. It looks a lot better now

Fun banners advertising the villains meet-and-greet.

Lots of great flags and paper lanterns overhead.

Billy Hill and the Haunted Hillbillies put on a great show with Halloween-themed songs.

You might spot a ghost from time-to-time at the Carnival!

The Fab Five also make appearances here in their Halloween costumes

The pumpkin carvers are always a lot of fun

Welcome to California Adventure

Disney California Adventure was named Theme Park of the Year last week by Amusement Today, a publication covering theme park news and trends. Congrats!

Last week the Orange County Register reported that Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree will get some padding on its seats in early October after guest complaints and some reported injuries.

Souvenir Street

Back on Buena Vista Street, the window displays haven’t changed since we updated you on them last week. If last week’s changes were the extent of the compromise Disney’s merchandise department made to share the window space with Imagineering, then what we have is pretty disappointing.

Props including the antique diving helmet are still missing from Los Feliz Five and Dime’s windows

And other windows at Big Top Toys and Elias and Co. remain cluttered with piles of unnecessary merchandise.

Artists at the Atwater Ink and Paint Supply apparently use kitchen spoon rests to hold their glasses.

Just a few doors down from the Los Feliz Five and Dime window that is filled with Red Car Trolley merchandise, more of the same merchandise clutters an Elias and Co. window display (and don’t forget that the main Julius Katz and Sons window is filled with more of the same Red Car Trolley merchandise!). Maybe if the guests see piles of the same merchandise over and over again they’ll finally be convinced to buy some of it?

Minnie Mouse accessories and plush that you can find in numerous stores throughout the parks, Downtown Disney and in Hotel gift shops are scattered around in another Elias and Co. window.

In this Elias and Company window, both of the mannequins that merchandise added in front of the vintage mannequin that Imagineering’s designers originally included wear the same Buena Vista Street t-shirt, one of them also has a hoodie on that features the same art work that is featured on the hoodie.

Oh, look! Key chains with the same art from the t-shirts!

If the cluttered window displays lure you inside, you’ll be greeted by a big display with all the stuff you saw in the windows. All of it has the same painting by Noah Fine Art. Oh, what’s that? You wanted variety?

Building Sandwiches

In Downtown Disney, Earl of Sandwich construction continues. No word on when this location will finally open after being delayed several times this spring and summer.

Nothing really happening with the work at the Disneyland Hotel’s Fantasy Tower

This and That

Inside the parks, you might spot a familiar face on some new merchandise hitting store shelves, but it isn’t Mickey’s… Disney’s theme park merchandise team has apparently taken to putting Walt Disney’s face on more and more merchandise.

This is a trend that doesn’t feel right to me. On one hand you have the company getting rid of Walt’s name from “Walt Disney Pictures,” opting for simply “Disney.” And on the other you have the parks like Disney California Adventure trying to bring customers closer to Walt and his personal story. It’s one thing to have a theme park experience retell an idealized version of Walt Disney’s life story, but it’s another to turn Walt into a character that you’re merchandising like Mickey Mouse or an animated princess.

Disney should really re-evaluate if it’s appropriate to put an enlarged image of Walt Disney’s face on a $30 t-shirt. If the goal is re-introducing people to Walt Disney as the man responsible for this iconic American entertainment company, a couple of t-shirts with his face on them aren’t going to do the trick and it just comes off as being in poor taste.

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[CENTER]Crowd levels are based on a scale from 1 to 10,
with 1 being the least crowded conditions and 10 being most crowded.
[B]For crowd predictions for the next 365 days, visit[/B]

[center]Closure and Refurbishment Schedule[/center]

[b][center]Disneyland Park[/center][/b]

[B]Princess Fantasy Faire at the Fantasyland Theater:[/B] Fantasyland Theater closed August 12. Princesses have relocated to Small World Promenade allowing the Fantasyland Theater to close and prepare for a new show.

[B]Storybook Land Canal Boats:[/B] Closed through November 15, 2012 for refurbishment.

Disney CFO Jay Rasulo says the company will see a “significant” drop in capital expenditures next year, following the relaunch of California Adventure and the opening of Disney World’s New Fantasyland.

Well, that wraps up this week’s column. Were you at Disneyland when Endeavour flew over? Let us know how it was in the comments section below!

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For more Disneyland news, be sure to read MiceChat’s weekly In the Parks blog. And be sure to check out our sister blog, Dateline Disney World – a fantastic weekly photo blog covering Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida!

About Andy Castro

Andy is a Southern California native, raised with Disneyland and a life-long fan of Disney theme parks and animation. Andy writes the weekly Dateline Disneyland column, which can be found every Monday on MiceChat.

Thanks Andy. I agree with you that it doesn’t seem right to put Walt Disney on a t-shirt, maybe photos and the like but not shirts, cups or frisbies (better be careful merchandising doesn;t take THAT seriously) I think a shirt with Mickey and a quote like “It all started with a mouse – Walt Disney” would be good and I would wear it but I won’t be wearing Walts face.

I thik we may have to resign ourselves to the fact that what they did in the DCA shop fronts last week IS as far as they are willing to compromise, what a pity

Thanks again for the interesting pictures and information

Park Hopper

The lack of imaginative merchandise at Disneyland has been a problem for years. Why? Profit margins. They get one of their artists to come up with an attractive image and then they plaster it on key chains, coffee mugs and t-shirts. Because you can manufacture a t-shirt in China for pennies and then sell it at Disneyland for $25 – $30. The profit margins are astronomical.

If they came up with more original, specialized, imaginative items, they would cost more to design and manufacture and they couldn’t make nearly as much profit on each sale.

Why fill valuable retail space with merchandise that has a low profit margin when you can cram every shelf full of key chains, coffee mugs and t-shirts, and make a bundle more?

troyer

Thanks for the update Andy. Your concerns about the Buena Vista window displays, as you remark, have been generally ignored by the greedy bean counters in merchandising whose only appreciation of Disney magic is money-a pattern we have seen not just here, but also at the closing of the Penny Arcade(now a candy shop), monotonous merchandise throughout the parks, and the apparent imminent closing of the subs in Tomorrowland. I hope all readers will stop by Guest Services at their next visit and voice their concerns. If we all remain silent, nothing will change in this regard, and will probably only get worse. For example, I can easily imagine the Disneyland Fire Station turning into a store of generic Disney merchandise. Such a shame that those overseeing Disney have such little artistic appreciation of Walt’s genius. It seems we have cold-hearted accountants in charge unfortunately, and have since the 1980′s.

Timekeeper

I don’t think Disneyland would close the subs this so soon, not when Disney re-released Finding Nemo in 3D and that there’s a sequel in can. Plus, the attraction opened in 2007, it cost Disney a lot of money to retrofit and remodel the lagoon, the subs and open the attraction, and it would cost Disney a lot more to close it.

Timekeeper

eicarr

Great update!

They have to find a good mix with the BVS windows and I think they’re almost there. When BVS opened I thought the windows gave a creepy old antique store vibe. A little eerie like the tower of terror. Plus I really didn’t know what to find in the stores without taking the time to stick my head in dueling my rushed trip.

IF that sandwich chain opens, I wonder if it will stay in business longer than it took to construct it. It’s such a poor spot for them.

Timekeeper

The sandwich shop will be great when it opens and it will gather customers, did you guys forget where the Swing Dancing nights from the Carnation Plaza Gardens in DL moved to?

Andy, thank you for the great update. I’ve got to chime in that the loss of creative windows at Disneyland and DCA is unfortunate. If folks wanted to visit a mall instead of a theme park, they would do so. I believe that guests expect more out of Disney than this.

The merchandise problem goes much deeper. ‘One Disney’ and the lackluster merchandise it produces has made it easier to find the same crappy merchandise in every store, but it doesn’t make you want to shop.

There was a time when shopping at Disneyland was a fun activity (at least for many guests). Each store in each land had a unique set of merchandise, that you often couldn’t find anywhere else. The shops had buyers who’s job it was to keep the store stocked with interesting stuff. That’s all been consolidated today. Interesting has given way to ubiquity. Disney may think they are saving money with One Disney, but they are probably losing out on tens of millions of extra sales from all the stuff people can no longer find. Why bother visiting more than one store on a WDW or Disneyland trip if all you’ll find is the same stuff everywhere.

With all the advances the resort has made in recent years, merchandise continues to just get worse and worse.

toonaspie

Indeed. It would make the most sense if each store sold something different so that way each store would be worth visiting. This can also determine what merchandise is selling better than others.

And I’m still wrapping my head around Carsland Tshirts being sold on BVS. Uh…you have a Cars Land!!!

APJ1127

Nice Update as per usual. Those are some TACKY shirts. I’m finding it hard to find apparel anywhere in the parks that I could wear in public.

tcsnwhite

I see absolutely NO issue with Walt’s image on merchandise, including t-shirts. This is not a new thing. It’s been going on for years, if not a decade or more. I remember seeing clothing items (and more) start to pop up with Walt’s image as a kid, and I thought it was great. I had several different Walt shirts, and always got great complements on them.

I don’t see using Walt’s image as any different than any other celebrity, public figure, or iconic person on various forms of merchandising throughout many industries, of which has been going on for decades upon decades – from Marilyn Monroe to Bob Marley, Michael Jackson to Elvis Presley, from Obama to Madonna. Walt Disney is as much an iconic figure as those, and more, and even possibly to a higher level in the lexicon of American pop culture. Why would he be any different, especially when it comes to official DISNEY merchandise sold in the DISNEY theme parks? Makes complete sense to me, and the two shirts above look very nice.

For those who say, well, Walt was the head of a company, not an entertainer…that can be debated. He was the face of the company, the host of the televisions specials…he put himself out there as such. That’s why “Walt Disney” as a product was what it was, especially to those alive during his time. And naturally like any company or estate, the figure becomes idealized, turned into an icon in its own right, and is sold.
As long as the product is tasteful and well done, I see no issue here other than complaining and nitpicking at Disney once again for simply the sake of needing another thing to complain about.

ayalexander

I totally agree with your comment. He put himself out there fully knowing he would be an icon on a t-shirt or the main illustration on a Disneyland Guide Book. There is nothing wrong with his face on a t-shirt, just as much as there is nothing wrong with all those other celebrities they plaster on merchandise around the world. Hell, I love Walt so much, I actually was thinking about buying those shirts. Its not always about money, ya Disney gets money from those Walt shirts, but they started selling them because that is what the guests want, all of the Disney researchers that stand out in the parks, collect all this information and it gets dispersed through the resort. -Go ahead ask the researchers next time you all wanna know about who got the idea to put some merchandise in the windows or Walt on a t-shirt they will tell you, “The Guests”.

jcruise86

I have no problem with Walt’s image on T-shirts, as long as they only sell the shirts to attractive, physically fit people.

peanutj

TCSN, I also agree with you about the t-shirts. For the most part I find them to be very tastefully done. I do think the ‘head’ shirt design is a bit big, but that’s just my opinion. I wouldn’t wear ANYONE’S big ol’ head on my body. At least they chose a nice pose. I really like the one with Walt and Mickey together.

DCA should give the windows completely to Imagineering or completely to Merchandising. Having a mix of the two is an awful look. Personally, I prefer the original windows, but I can see Merchandising’s argument. These are real stores selling real stuff. Real stores put their merchandise in their windows. It’s how they show customers what they’re selling and entice them to come inside. It’s just good business.

ayalexander

Actually there is A LOT of work going on in the Disneyland Hotel’s Fantasy tower. They are taking Bonita’s Suite (which is 8 rooms big) and turning it into a series of I believe 4 separate suites. Its sad because that was the apartment that the Wrathers stayed in. When Disney Co. asked the Wrathers to give them the hotel they said no. So, after Jack Wrather died Disney Co. bought his whole company just to take over the Disneyland Hotel and then they sold off his assets like Lassie, Queen Mary and The Spruce Goose. -All that was left of the Wrather legacy at the Disneyland Hotel (the Bonita Suite) has now been erased from Disneyland Resort history. -Really sad.

cj843

As soon as I saw the Walt Disney Tee Shirt, i thought – I have to have it. And I will get one next week. Its not in poor taste, you jumped the gun on that comment. He is an icon, and the tee shirt displays him in good taste.

jasmineray

I am very happy to see the Halloween Carnival looking more…spiffy. That plain white tent was not appealing at all but it looks so much better now! Snow White’s Grotto looks great and I’m very pleased to hear the lighting has been brought back. I can’t wait for everything else to be finished, including Fantasy Faire!

I’m disappointed about the windows on BVS. Seriously, if people want to purchase items from the stores, they will do it. The merchandise doesn’t need to be piled up in the windows. It’s a store, people know to go in, look around and buy something if they want to. The windows were so cool and unique and great to look at. I have to say this; some of these designs the company have come up with look so TACKY AND CHEAP-LOOKING. Like they were designed on a computer in a matter of minutes. Geez, can we have some effort? Not all the designs, just some of them. Some of the other designs are actually really nice. I really wish they’d get rid of the Candy Land board game. Really?

Regarding Walt Disney’s face on shirts and such, I really don’t see a problem with it. People we love have been plastered on shirts, posters, art pieces and other things for years now. This isn’t anything new. I don’t see the company putting Walt Disney’s face on merchandise as them trying to make him a “character” so-to-speak. He kind of is a character anyway, IMO. Like others have already said, Walt Disney put himself out there to be idolized. He probably wouldn’t have wanted something like this (I really don’t know. I didn’t know Mr. Disney), but what can you expect, when there are die-hard fans out there who love and appreciate him so much? I myself have shirts and posters of people that I love. I just see it as a way of stating that I appreciate this person. What’s wrong with that?

1WaltFan

I love the Walt merchandise! As a fan of Walt more than any character it is great to see Walt celebrated on merchandise. I have a tee of Walt on main street with Mickey which I love. I just had my sister pick up the DCA tee of Walt and Mickey and of the DL opening day quote.
Celebrating Walt on merchandise is a great add to DCA and the park’s line of merchandise. I can’t wait to get my hands on more.

Thanks always for your updates. I always look forward to them.

tinkerbell77

Do you by chance know when Disney plans on doing the refurbishment for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? We are planning on going in May and that is my children’s favorite ride.

TodAZ1

I’d love to have those Walt shirts too!!

nLanciotti92

i too would gladly ( and will) buy the shirt with Walt’s face on it. I love them, and can not understand why this would even begin to be a problem. Im personally starting to get kinda tired of the Disney “fan” community’s constant complaining, especially about such un-important things.
Every time I came on here and read about how the cups were changing and how that was such a disgrace, attention everyone its just a cup. Some think that when you get rid of the Disney Parks themed cups that it become cheap and doesn’t fit into the theming that the guests deserve, well last time i looked a Coca-Cola logo, is a lot more appropriate theme wise, than a Mickey Mouse ice cream, and food confettied around a bright red Disney Parks cup. And by the way, either way it will be thrown in the trash can about five minutes later. I for one like that they are getting rid of the themed napkins and cups if that might be saving money from that type of thing, since it really is extremely trivial.

Life is better when you have a passion, and for all of us Disney is that passion, so enjoy it ! There is so much fun to be had in the world of Disney!!!!!!

Dizzey

Regarding the windows on Buena Vista Street… If I’m not mistaken, doesn’t The Emporium in Disneyland typically have a window with little animatronics in it? Sometimes a little village scene, etc.? It’s not merchandise in every window there. Seems to me that Disney could strike a compromise on Buena Vista Street that doesn’t mean destroying every window by mixing up the intentions. They could simply dedicate some windows to theming, some to merchandising. Those who are interested in one or the other could stop, look over whatever is in the window, and appreciate them for what they are without trying to look through or around all the “other stuff” that is in the window. It’s simple, and I doubt that it would kill merchandising all that much. If the windows are all just cluttered with merchandise, I guarantee that I will spend very little time on BVS, which will eliminate any sales opportunity to me…